Wall unit assembly



April 13, 1943. j BRQNNER 2,316,668

WALL UNIT ASSEMBLY Filed July 1, 1940 42 y INVENTOR fumes .EZBr-onner- WITNESSES l'atentecl Apr. 15, 1345 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V 6 Claims.

transported and. again, erected at another location.

This may be done by utilizing standard materials now in national use, pre-cast, and/or prefabricated to the desired dimensions and sections at some suitable place, and then delivered to the building site and there quickly assembled and rapidly erected into building units, with few ordinary tools and workmen. This type of construc-' tion lends itself readily to the use of pre-cast and pre-fabricated non-combustible materials thereby making mass production possible, thus keeping the building costs at a minimum.

This invention serves a four-fold purpose: (1) It eliminates the use of wood, a rapidly diminishing material which may be utilized for other and more essential purposes. (2) It utilizes noncombustible materials of unlimited resources. (3) It makes possible mass production. (4) Its cost may be well within reach of those with very moderate means, thus solving a problem long sought by national planners.

More particularly this invention relates to the wall construction of such buildings utilizing double walls with a uniform air space and involving such members as the flanged uprights and associated parts. However, such structural members may be used in other relations about the building such as beams, joists, braces, rafters and the like.

An object of this invention is to economically and expeditiously construct a building which may -be rendered proof against fire, termites and ro dents, insulated against heat, cold and moisture, non-deteriorating, maintenance-free and constructed at comparatively low cost and at the same time be adaptable to any style of architecture and yet impose no restrictions on its size or.

styl and allow for later additions with a mini- Another object of this invention is to provide in this structure a free-standing, non-weight-bearing curtain type of wall construction.

A further object of this invention is to eliminate the settlement or strain of walls caused by stresses imposed when incorporated into a building. The steel skeleton frame carries the superimposed loads, thus eliminating wall cracks and other damage due to settlement.

In carrying out this invention, the outer and inner wall panels which consist of cementitious non-combustible materials are pre-cast into desired dimensions; the sizes, width, length and thickness of each panel are not too great for convenient handling and erection. The flanged uprights and combination wall spacer and wall retainer are preferably of metal, either rolled or drawn and pre-fabricated and/or pre-formed to the required dimensions.

The overall thickness of the double wall is limited only by the depth of the web of the flanged upright. The exterior and interior wall panels are of suitable thickness to withstand the normal abuse ordinarily applicable to such building walls. The air space is kept uniform by the combination wall spacer and wall retainer.

The economical construction of this invention is further facilitated by finishing one face of each of the exterior and interior wall panels during the casting process, so that no additional exterior wall finish is required, unless it is desired to apply a paint finish. The interior wall is finished sufilciently smooth to receive the desired paint finish, except for the narrow vertical joint between the inner wall panels which may be brought to a smooth finish with cementitious materials similar to the pre-cast panels. No lathing or plastering is necessary on the interior walls.

Since all building sections, will be pre-cast and prefabricated at a suitable central plant, no forms or molds are necessary during the erection of the structure. ,Upon delivery of the various sections to the building site they are assembled, and their erection into place ultimately forms the finished structure which is then ready for occupancy.

Further advantages of this invention'will be apparent from the following specification and appended claims in connection with the accompany.-

ing drawing which shows several embodiments of this invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective horizontal section of I the wall unit assembly referred to, showing one Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, except that it shows another form of wall brace.

Fig. 3 is another View similar to Fig. 1, except that it shows still another method of applying wall spacer and wall brace.

Fig. 4 is a perspective, horizontal section of the wall assembly which comprise the single wall assembly.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the combination wall spacer, wall brace, wall retainer and wall keeper shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 it will be apparent that one embodiment of the invention consists of an assembly including an upright I8, T-shape in cross-section, providing a flang I I on a web I2. The web I2 is disposed between the ends of outside wall panels I3, each of which is rabbeted as at I4. The flanges II are disposed in said rabbets respectively. Use is made of a required number of devices I6, each of which serves as a spacer, brace, retainer and keeper in conjunction with the upright I8, outside panels I3 and inside panels 2|. The panels 2| are arranged in spaced parallel relation to the panels I3 and the web I2 is disposed between the ends of said panels 2| in contact therewith. Each panel 2| is rabbeted as at 22. The outside panels I3 are put in place before the devices I 6 and then the inside panels.

Each of the devices I6 is cut, bent and formed from a single piece of sheet metal, such as steel, to provide a portion 48, 4|, I1, 42, I8 and I9 respectively. The portion 48 serves as a spacing means. One end of the portion 4| is integral with one end of the portion 48, one end of the portion I1 is integral with the other end of the portion 4| disposed at an acute angle with respect thereto, and the other end of the portion I1 is integral with one end of a portion 42 disposed to lie against portion 48 and which has a slot 43 therein. The portions 4 I, I1 and 42 serve as a brace as well as a pressure exerting means or clamp in conjunction with a panel I3 engaged thereby and the flange II engaging said particular panel. The portion 4| is preformed to an angle of 105 with respect to the portion 48 in order to exert pressure on the related panel I3 when the device I6 is secured in place. This is accomplished by the use of a toggle-bolt 28 which extends through a hole in the web I2, a hole 44 in the portion 48 and the slot 43. The bolt 28 not only holds the device I6 in place but also holds the portion 42 against the portion 48 with the portion 4| bearing on the panel I3. The portion I8 is preformed to a ninety-degree angle with respect to the portion 48, whereas the portion I 9 is normally in the plane of the portion 48 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. A panel 2| is set in place and is engaged on the outside by the portion I8 and the portion I9 is then bent to a ninety-degree angle with respect'to the portion 48 as shown in full lines in Fig. 5'in engagement with the inside of the panel 2| in its rabbet 22. A screw 22 extending through the portion I9 and driven into the panel firmly holds the inner end of the device I6. The portion 48 is disposed between the ends of the panels 2| and. a grout 45 is filled in the space between the panel end and the web I2.

The wall panels I3 and 2| are of the desired thickness and preferably, though not necessarily, several inches thick. The panels I3 and. 2| are pre-cast cementitious non-combustible materials of the desired proportions for convenient handling and erection. Each outside panel has notches I5 therein to by-pass the nuts of the toggle bolts 28 when heavy outside wall panels are used. When light weight outside panels are used the notches may be omitted because such panels may be readily joggled into position.

The uprights III are preferably of metal, either rolled or drawn, and pre-fabricated and/or preformed to meet requirements. This is also true regarding the devices I6. 'The uprights I8 are spaced as required, ordinarily several feet for instance, and are firmly secured at the base and the top. Cross-bars may be used in conjunction with the uprights if and where required.

The required number of devices I6 are arranged on opposite sides of webs I2 at intervals in staggered relationl This enables the outside and inside wall panels of one bay to be detached independently of the adjoining panels. As shown, the inside panels 2| are rabbeted, as at 22, to a depth which enables the use of a filler 24 of the same material as the panels 2|, and this filler is applied after the assembly of the parts'lflas been effected. Thus the inside surface of the wall formed by the panels 2| will be brought to a smooth finish to receive the desired paint or other suitable coating to give the desired decorative effect. This is accomplished without the use of lathing or plastering.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a modified form of spacer, brace, retainer and keeper, the same being designated US. This form of device is cut, bent and formed from a single piece of metal to provide a portion I48 which serves as a spacing means, an arcuate end portion 21 in continuation of the portion I48, and portions H8 and H9. The device I I6 is analogous to the device I6 and in this respect the portion 21 has the same function as the portion 4|, and the portions I I 8 and I I9 have the functions of the portions I8 and I9 respectively of the device I6 shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The required number of devices I I6 are employed as hereinabove described regarding the device I6 and accomplish the same result when assembled and secured in place.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a further modified form of spacer, brace, retainer and keeper, the same being designated 2I6. This type of device 2I6 is somewhat similar to the type of device II6, the difference being that the device 2I6 is of two parts, a part 28 having a portion 248 and integral portions 2I8 and 2I9, and a second part 228 consisting of a straight portion 22I and an areuate portion 29 in continuation of the portion 22I. The portion 22I has a slot I42 therein. The device 2I6 being made up of parts 28 and 228 is adjustable as to length. The part 28 is preferably spot-welded or otherwise secured to the web I2 and the part 228 is secured by a toggle-bolt 28 extending through the web I2, the portion 248 and through the slot I 42. By virtue of the portion 29, the device 2I6 will exert spring pressure on the related outside panel I3. It is understood that the portions 2 I8 and 2 I 9 serve to firmly hold the related inside panel 2 I.

As shown in Fig. 4, a single unit utilizes the flanges II and web I2 of an upright I8, and retainers 228 of L-shape providing portions 348 and and 3I9 respectively. The portions 348 are welded to the web I2 and the portions 3| 9 are secured to the panels 38 respectively by screws I23. The panels 38 are rabbeted as at 3| to receive the portions 3I9 and a filler I24 is applied to cover the portions 3|9 and to finish the interior wall sufliciently smooth as hereinabove described for the purposes mentioned.

I claim:

1. A building wall assembly having in combination outside wall panels-insideggll panels spaced from sai outsi e panels, an upright having a web and flanges on opposite sides respectively of said web, said web being disposed between adjacent ends of the outside panels and between adjacent ends of the inside panels, said flanges engaging said outside panels respectively, devices arranged on opposite sides of said web between the outside and .inside panels, each of said devices having means engaged with said outside and inside panels on its side of the web to cooperate with said upright to hold said panels in place when the devices are secured to said web, and means securing said devices to said web.

2. A building wall assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first means is resilient and exerts a spring pressure on the related outside panel.

3. A building wall assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first means engages the inside panel on opposite sides thereof at its end.

4. A building wall assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first means exerts a spring pressure on the outside panel end and engages the inside panel on opposite sides thereof at its end.

5. A building wall assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said securing means consists of toggle-bolts, there being one for each device.

6. A building wall assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said devices are arranged in staggered relation with respect to each other.

JAMES E. BRONNER. 

